Controlling means for elevators and the like



April 23, 192 '1 P. D. ORCUTT cgnrhopnme MEANS FOR ELEVATORS ANDY'IHELIKE Filed Sept. 25, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet Il lllll Z w fi w 1 I a a 1 MNw i 1 w a a a w m NLVHF: .1 J N fi M .0 m 4 4, a. U a a J H fim 1 5 1 Ma I- II w .0 6 J M a w w 1 m W 1 m .k N R m N V/ b P.- DAOR CUTT1,710,066

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR ELEVATORS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 25, 1926 5Sheets-$heet 2 April 23, 1929.

W671i. ATT RN Y5 4 L X i I 6/2 42/? 4 wM \\\\i-\\ E m l 2/? 2/ F v AW 3j a K WA 95415EFF/5555551 v a a ulllllla I I 1 A L \IIL April 23, 1929.P. D. ORCUTT CONTROLLING MEANS FDR ELEVATORS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept.25, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

mes

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP DANA ORCU'IT, GE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONTROLLING HEAR S ELEVATORS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed September 25, 1926. Serial No. 137,71

This invention relates especially, although to controlling mechanism forelectric elevators whereby the elevator car can be conveniently andautomatically stopp not exclusively,

ed at points accurately positioned with respect to the several floorstations.

JLlCQrUC elennors usually 1nsraneu are provided with manually operatedcontrollers for the motor or motors which controllers are selectivelymovable into a variety of positions to cause the elevator car to beraised or lowered at a variety of speeds.

a floor station at which the car is to be the. controller 15 usuallyfirst moved to c In approaching stopped, heck the speed of the car andan attempt then made to throw 1t into the oft position at exactly theproper moment to bring the car to rest proximately the desired position.

T he present invention, in its preferred "form, contemplates theprovision 1n conpinctron with a manually operated controller ot the t pereferred to, of auxiliary circuit controlling means which, as the carthe floor station at which a stop is to be made may be manually set tocause automa approaches ti cally,

first, a progressive checking; or reduction of the speed of the car anda subsequent stop nngz of the same in accurately positioned relation tothe floor station.

lhe foregoing and other objects oi? the in vention together with meanswhereby the latter may be carried into effect, will best be understoodfrom the following description oi a prette red tor-1n thereofaccompanying drawings.

illustrated in the It will be understood, however, tnat theconstruction. ar-

rangement, and

application shown and described have been chosen for purposes orexemplii'ic ation merely,

and that the invention.

defined by the claims hereunto appended,

may be ture from the In said drawings: Fig. 1 is a diagrammaticotherwise embodied without deparspirit and scope thereof.

vertical sectional view of an elevator well and an elevator car therein,showing the contact dev' which the automatic control is eltccted.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view, section, of one of the contacts carriedby car and associated parts.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation oi 521 it. contac ces through partly in L theand a portion of the coope 'atingstationary contact.

4 1s an elevation ot the ad usting means for the car contac in erior orthe car.

Fig. 5 is an elevation,

t as viewed from the with the casing and a part of the controller handlein section, of

the controller, the parts being in ell position and set for manualcontrol.

lig. 6 1s a section taken substantially on the line 6-6, Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to the parts is an on position and set forautomatic control.

t o' Q lo. U

employed in connection Fig. 5 showing is a wiring diagram, the circuitswith the present invention being shown in full lines, and the remainderof the circuits,

forming part of the usual manual control, being shown in broken lines.

In Fig. 1 is ing a plurality o'l floor etc,

shown an elevator well A havstations B B B and'in which is suspended anelevator car C h avinga manually operated controller D. Excepthereinafter pointed out, these parts may all be of any usualconstructimi and are represented only diagrammatically, certain otherassociated par s, such as the elevator guides, electric actuating meansbeing omitted entirely.

The for the elevator car may be 0t any approved type, and in Fin. 8

there are indicated for t-l llS purpose two elcc trio motors E and Fadapted respectively to cause upward and downward travel of the car C.The controller 1), as is usual in such devices. is shown in l to 8 asincluding;

a casing G in which is pivotally mounted a manually operated controllerhandle H carrymg a contact I \YlilCll, said handle is moved on itspivot, is brought gagement with two arcua selectively into ente ser1esof lined con tacts J J J and K K K, and an intermediate insulating bloccontacts being disposed pivotal axis or the handle.

k L, said series of concentric with the In the arrangement shown in Fin.8, current is supplied. un-

der the control or a main cut-out switch N,

from any suitable source of which is connected a two branches 0 and ("Ito the motors E and F.

leads a conductor P having a connected respectively branches P P P,

"ith the contacts J, J 0

sistance elements Q terpose resistances of cl M with one terminalconductor 0 having leading respectively From the motor E plurality ofand including (If, adapted to inifierent magnitudes.

Similarly a conductor It leads from the motor F and has a plurality ofbranches R R, It leading to the contacts K K K and including resistanceelements S S S similar to those included in the conductor P. The purposeand function of the two groups of resistance elements will be fullyunderstood by those skilled in the art. As the controller handle H ismoved toward the right, of Fig. 8, thecontact I carried thereby engagesthe contacts K Y and K successively, dependent upon the speed at whichthe car is to be operated, these contacts being a part of the conductorR which includes the resistance elements S S and S for each of thecontacts. The resistance of the element S is greater than that of theelement S and, therefore, the car runs at a slower speed when thecontacts I and K are together than when the contact I engages thecontact K The speed of the car is further increased as the handle ismoved to bring the contacts I and K together by reason of the fact thatthe resistance element S in the circuit leading to the contact Y issmaller than the preceding resistance elements. It is, of course,desirable to start the car gradually and this is accomplished by the useof the progressively decreasing resistance connected with the contacts KK and K, respectively. This is true of the up circuit including theresistance elements Q Q and Q which are adapted to interpose resistancesof (litter-entn'mgnitudcs, as previously explained. The contact I on thecontroller handle H is electrically connected, as hereinafter furtherdescribed, with a con ductor T leading through the switch N to the otherterminal of the source M. In the arrangement shown, when thecontrollerhandle H is in a position to bring the contact I into engagement withone of the contacts of the series J J etc., the car C will be movedupwardly by the motor E at a speed determined by the contact engaged;when said contact I is in engagement with one of the contacts K K ctc.,said car will be moved downwardly under the control of the motor F; andwhen the controller handle is in the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6,the contact I engages the insulating section L and the car is at rest.

Except as hereinafter pointed out, the electric actuating means, manualcontrollingmeans, and connections may be of any usual type andarrangement well known in the art, form no portion of the presentinvention, and require no further description.

In accm'dance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention,there are arranged, adjacent the well A and parallel to the fixed pathof movement of the car C, two elongated fixed contact members or rails Uand U which are engaged by cooperating contact members V and V carriedby the car throughout the range of travel of the latter. Each of thecontact rails U and U is made up of a series of individual contacts orrail sections 15", 15", and 15 suitably insulated from one another asindicated at 16, the sections l5 and 15 being separated from one anotherby slightly elongated insulating sections 16 which are engaged by thecontacts V and V when the car C is in a position to bring its llooraccurately in position with respect to the floor stations B, 15", etc.,as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1. The sections 15 are preferablyoil less length than the sections 15, and the sections 15 of less lengththan the sections 15', the sections 15" being interposed between thesections 15 and 15, and the latter being separated from the sections 15by the insulating sections 16, thus prmJiding a plurality of zones otprogressively increasing resistance to gradually check the movement ofthe car as it approaches a floor station. In the construction shown, andas hereinafter described, the contact rail U controls the car during theupward movement of the latter, and the contact rail U controls said carduring its downward movement, the sections 15, 15" and 15 being arrangedin ascending order in the rail U and in descending order in the rail UThe contacts or rail. sections 15'', 15 15 of the rail U are connectedrespectively by conductors 17, 17 17 With the conductor P, saidconductors having inter- [N scd therein resistance elements 18, 18", 18respectively, the element- 18 being of such a character as to interposea greater resistance than the element 18", and the latter being such asto intcrpose a greater resistance than the element 18. Similarly, thecontacts or sections 15, 15", 15 of the rail U are connected with theconductor R by conductors 19, 19", 19 having resistance elements As mostclearly shown in Figs. 3, 3 and 4, each of the contacts V and Vcomprises a roller 21 engaging the commrating contactrail U or U saidroller being carried by a ilork or yoke mounted to slide in a socket 23with an interposed spring 2;! by which said roller is yieldingly pressedagainst said rail. The socket 23 forms part of a clamp adjustablysecured to a suitable support, herein shown as the side wall 5 ol. thecar. As shown, the b'fltlitt 23 has a stem 20 which extends through avertical slot 27 in the wall and has a threaded end to receivea combined clamping nut and handle 28. Mounted on the stem .26 at oppositesides of the wall are two clamping members 29 and 30, the former beingengaged by the nut 28 and the latter engaging a collar 31 on said stem.The clamping member preferably carries a pointer or indicator 32 whichcooperates with a fixed scale 33 on the wall 25. It will be seen that,by releasing the clamp, the roller 21 may be adjusted vertically inorder that 1,710,ees

it may engage the insulating section 16- when the car is accuratelypositioned with respect to the corresponding floor station.

In addition to the contacts J J etc, and K ,'K etc., the controller D isprovided with a pair of elongated arcuate contacts and disposedconcentric with the arcuate series J J etc., and l K etc., and separatedby an insulatingsection X. The contact is connected by a conductor 34:with the contact V and contact VV is connected by a conductor 35 withthe contact V Cooperating with the contacts WV and N is a contact 36carried by the controller handle H and electrically connected, as by asuitable conductor 3?, with another contact 38 also carried by saidhandle. Likewise the contact I is connected by a suitable conductor 39with a contact 40 similar to the Contact 38. Cooperating with thecontacts 38 and 40, and adapted to be brought alternatively intoengagement with either, is a manually movable contact 41 electricallyconnected with the conductor T. As shown in'Figs. 5 and 7, the contactat is car ried by a button or plunger i2 mounted to slide in the outerend of the controller handle H, said but-ton being normally held by aspring d8 in position to bring the contact ll into engagement with thecontact 40, but being manually depressible to move said contact 41 outof engagement with the contact to and into engagement with the contact38.

In operation, when the button s2 is in its normal position, as shown in5 and (3, the controller handle H may be moved to close the'circuit tothe motor E or F through the contacts J J etc., or K K etc, to cause theelevator to move upwardly or downwardly respectively at varying speeds,or to stop the same by bringing said controller handle into its centralor oil' position with the contact I in engagement with the insulatingsection L. In order to cause the car to stop automatically at any floorstation and in accurately positioned relation thereto, the operator,after the car has passed the precedine floor station, depresses thebutton 432, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, thereby breaking the circuit tothe motor E or F (depending upon the direction of movement of the car)through the contact do and closingit through the contact 38. Thus,assuming the direction of movement of the car to be upward, as indicatedbv the arrow in Fig. 8, the controller handle H n be in the positionshown in said figure, the circuit to the motor E being then cl-o:;=.erthrough the conductor T, contact l1, contact 38, conductor 37, Contact36, contact- \V conductor 34, contact V rail section 15, 15", or 15, andconductor 17, 17" or 1'4"", depending'upon the position of the car. twill be understood that when the parts are the position in which theyare shown in A ig. S, the circuit is completed through the motor E tothe source of current M tl rough the medium ot the conductors 31-, P, Oand 0, rather than through the branches P P or 1" lependent upon whichof the contacts J J or J are engaged by the contact I, and through theresistance elements Q, Q and Q", all of i 'hich are included in theconductor P leading to the motor E, when the button ii is in theposition in which it is shown in Fig. 5 with the movable contact d1 inengagement with the fixed contact heir the controller handle H is movedto the right with the contact 36 engaging the contact ll, the button 4L2being depressed, the circuit from and to the source of current M iscompleted through the switch N, conductor '1, contact 11, contact 38,conductor 37, contact contact conductor 85 to the contact V carried bythe car and thence to the motor F through any of the branches 19, 19" or19 and their corresponding resistance elements 20 et cetera, dependentupon which of the contact section 15, 15 or 15 the contact is inengagement with, and through the conductors R, O O and switch N,permitting the descentof the car. The depression of the button -12preferably takes place while the contact V is in engagement with thecontact or rail section 15. Thereafter, as the contact V passes from thecontact 15" to the contact 15", the speed of the car will be lessened.by reason of the increased resistance 18". As the contact V reaches thecontact 15", the speed of the car is further checked by reason of thefurther increased resistance 18, and when said contact V reaches theinsulatir ,1; section. 16" the circuit is broken and the car stopped.Should the position of the car when stopped be slightly above or belowthe dos ed position, the contact Y may, with the assistance oi? theindicator 32 and scale 33, be adjusted a corresponding amount to correctthe error. Similar adjustments of the contacts V and V may be made fromtime to time as. required by climatic or other conditions which mayalicct the speed with wl ich the usual stopping brake (not shown)operates on the car supporting cable 15.

It will be understood that, after the car has been automati allystopped, as above dcscribcd. the button may be released, thereby againplacing the car under manual control. and permitting starting thereof inthe usual manner.

Having thus described my claim 1. The combination with an elevator wellhaving floor stations, an cl. aior car movable in said well, andactuating llltlllH tor causing said car to travel in said well, of meansautomatically controlled by the position of said car for controllingsaid actuating means including resistance arranged in zones adjacenteach station to reduce the speed of the car a predetermined amount ineach zone as it approaches a station.

invention, 1

2. The combination with a car movable in a fixed path and actuatingmeans for causing said car to travel in said path, of manually set meansautomatically controlled by the position of said car for controllingsaid actuating means including varied resistance to progressively reducethe speed of the car at diiierent points of its travel.

The con'ibination with a car and electric actuating means therefor, of acircuit for supplying current to said actuating means, a controller forsaid. circuit including a plurality oi fixed contacts and a manuallyoperated member having a contact selectively movable into engagementwith said fixed contacts, another circuit for supplying current to saidactuating means and including a fixed contact and a cooperating movablecontact carried by said manually operated member, and manually set meanson said member for alternatively closing said circuits.

4. The combination with a car movable in a fixed path and electricactuating means for causing said car to travel in said path, of acircuit for supplying current to said actuating means, a controllerforsaid circuit including a plurality of fixed contacts and a manuallyoperated member having a contact selectively movable into engagementwith said fixed contacts, other circuits for supplying current to saidactuating means automatically controlled by the position of said car tovary the speed of the latter at different points in its travel, saidlast named circuits including a fixed contact and a cooperating movablecontact carried by said manually operated member, and manually set meanson said member for alternatively closing said first named circuit orsaid last named circuits.

5. In a circuit controller for electric elevators and the like, incon'ibination, a series of fixed contacts, a controller handle, a contact carried by said handle and selectively 'movable thereby intoengagement with said fixed contacts, another elongated fixed contact, asecond contact carried by said handle and engaging said elongatedcontact, a pair of contacts carried by said handle and con nectcdrespectively with said other contacts carried thereby, and a contactmovabl y mounted on said handle and alternatively engageable with thecontacts of said pair.

(i. T he combination with a car movable in a fixed path to and fromfloor stations and electric actuating means for causing said our totravel in said path, 01 means for supplying current to said actuatingmeans includ ing' circuits selectively closed in accordance with theposition of said car to vary the speed of the latter at different pointsof its travel, said circuits including a contact carried by the car anda series of resistance zones arranged in groups parallel to said pathadjacent said stations and successively engaged by said first namedcontact to reduce the speed of the car a predetermined amount in eachzone.

7. The combination with a car movable in a fixed path and electricactuating means for causing said car to travel in said path, of meansfor supplying current to said actuating means including circuitsselectively closed in accordance with the position of said car to varythe speed of the latter at difl'erent points oj its travel said circuitsincluding a contact v.rried by the car and adjustable thereon in thedirection of movement of the latter and a series of contacts arrangedparallel to said path and successively engaged by said first namedcontacts.

8. The combination with an elevator car and. electric actuating meansfor raising and lowering the same, of circuits for controlling saidactuating means and including fixed contacts disposed. adjacent the pathof movement of said car, an interposed insulating section, a contactcarried by the car and adapted to travel over said fixed contacts andinsulating section, a support on the car upon which said last namedcontact is mounted for adjustment in the direction of travel of the car,and a scale for indicating the adjustment of said contact,

9. The combination with a car movable in a fixed path and electricactuating means for causing said car to travel in said path, of meansfor supplying current to said actuating means including circuitsselectively closed in accordance with the position of said car, saidcircuits including a contact carried by the car and a series of contactsarranged parallel to said path and successively engaged by said firstnamed contact, the circuits closed through the several contacts of saidseries being arranged to cause operation of said car by said actuatingmeans at progressively decreasing speeds.

10. The combination with a car movable in a .fixed path and electricactuating means for causing said car to travel in said path. of meansfor supplying current to said actuating means including an elongatedcontact member disposed parallel to the path of movement of the carcomprising a plurality of zones of progressively increasing resistance.to reduce the speed of the car a predetermined amount in each zone, anda cooperating contact member carried by the car, said elongated contactmember being interrupted by an insulating section to break the circuitand automatically stop the car at a predetermined point.

11. The combination with an elevator well having floor stations, anelevator car movable in said well, and electric actuating means forcausing said car to travel in said well, of means for supplying currentto said actuating means including an elongated contact memcausing saidcar to travel in said path, of

means for supplying current to said actuatmg means including circuitsselectively closed in accordance with the position of the parallel tosaid path and con'iprising car to check the speed of the latter andthereafter stop the same at a predetermined point, said circuitsincluding a contact carried by the car and a lined contact rail arrangera series of contacts providing zones of resistance or increasingmagnitudes and an insulating section successively engaged by said firstnamed contact the circuits closed through the several contacts of saidrail being" arranged to cause operation of said car by said actuatingmeans at progressively decreasing speeds as said insulating section isapproached.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature.

PHILIP DANA ORGU. T.

